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Israel will reopen the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt for limited movement of people on March 18 after it was closed at the start of the war with Iran, according to CNN and Al Jazeera, citing Israeli authorities.
According to CNN, Israel's Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) said the crossing between Gaza and Egypt will reopen on Wednesday in both directions. COGAT said the crossing would operate under strict conditions. According to CNN, the COGAT said it would maintain "necessary security restrictions" for the passage of people. The crossing had been closed at the start of the war with Iran after Israeli authorities ordered the closure of all crossings leading into Gaza. Before that, the Rafah border crossing had reopened at the beginning of February for a limited period to allow a small number of patients from Gaza to travel for urgent medical treatment and return to the enclave, the CNN reported. CNN said it's unclear if the same number of Palestinians will be allowed to cross, or if it will be even fewer. On March 2, COGAT announced that the Kerem Shalom crossing would reopen for the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza, but Rafah remained closed, CNN reported. Meanwhile, Al Jazeera reported that Israeli authorities confirmed the reopening date and restrictions. According to Al Jazeera, the Israeli government agency coordinating activities in the occupied Palestinian territories and Gaza said the crossing would reopen on March 18 (Wednesday). The COGAT, according to Al Jazeera, said the crossing between Gaza and Egypt would reopen in both directions "for limited movement of people only". According to Al Jazeera, Israel closed the crossing on March 1 after launching its joint war on Iran with the United States, citing security concerns. The crossing had reopened in February after remaining shut for several months. The Rafah crossing is considered critical for the delivery of humanitarian aid into Gaza and for the evacuation of critically ill patients. (ANI)
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